Epilogue #2
“What are your intentions toward her?” John glanced at Jillian who was staring fixedly at Wolf.
“What would you have them be, Longley?” Despite his difficulty in sliding into his old role, it was still rather fun to play Lucifer to John’s Gabriel, just like the old days.
“I would have you marry her if you care for her. But knowing you, you would get in your own way and muck it up.” Wolf raised his eyebrow again, and John had the decency to appear humbled. “Though I suppose I am capable of the same thing.”
“I did get in my own way and muck it up. I did something unforgivable.”
Jillian’s gaze turned molten and Wolf was reminded of how John used to refer to her as a beautiful . While he was enjoying playing with John, he did not wish to cause Petra’s cousin serious concern.
“But, Petra, being the most wonderful woman in the world, somehow found it in her heart to forgive me.”
Jillian snorted and this time John raised an eyebrow. “How did you manage that?”
“Well, let’s see, he gave me all my father’s vowels and let me decide what to do with them.
He wrote me detailed notes in dozens of books of scenes he thought I would like or questions he thought I might have,” Petra paused as she reached him and took a moment to straighten his cravat, which was rumpled from their carriage activities.
“And he built me the most incredible library in the place I have worked hardest for and am the proudest of.”
“Lady Petra,” John bowed his head as Jillian gasped, “Petra!”
Turning toward John, Wolf could sense from the vibrating energy bouncing off of Petra that she had to hold herself back from launching herself into Jillian’s arms. “That is Lady Wolfridge to you, Lord John.”
“Lady Wolfri– You married him?” John glanced back to Wolf as if trying to discern if Petra was telling a lie.
Petra smiled back at her husband, the smile he now knew was only for him, as if she knew a great secret. “I happily married him, I must say.”
“Oh, Petra,” Jillian threw her arms around her cousin, “Look at us, Lady Wolf and Lady Jack, perhaps we will start that Lady’s Detective work after all. We could call it Ladies Jack and Wolf.”
Still smiling at Wolf, Petra put her arm around her cousin and began to lead her inside.
“I have been meaning to tell you–” Petra began but her cousin cut her off excitedly.
“Oh, and we adopted Jim, the cabin boy. You will love him, Petra!”
Petra stopped for a moment at her cousin’s words. Watching his wife, Wolf’s heart physically hurt as he realized what that meant to her. “I have a nephew?”
“Well, technically, he is your cousin once remo—” Wolf elbowed John, knowing how important this was to Petra. “Yes, er, you have a nephew,” John muttered after a pointed look from Wolf and Jillian, who headed inside the townhouse with Petra. “And we found Stephen, Petra!” Jillian added.
“What?” His wife gave a very unladylike, yet endearing whoop as she winked at him and followed Jillian. Waiting a moment after their women disappeared, Wolf punched John in the arm.
“Hitting me again?” John rubbed his arm but he watched Wolf with a warm expression on his face.
“You nodcock, you know what she wants more than anything in the world is more family. Let him be her nephew.” Wolf suddenly saw in his mind’s eye girls who looked like Petra but maybe had his green eyes.
The mysteries and treasure hunts they could hide for them around the estate. The fun they would have.
“You really love her.” John’s voice brought Wolf back from his vision of the future.
“More than I believed possible to love another human being.” Wolf eyed his friend.
“All the years I spent watching her, I tried to tell myself that I was looking out for you, but in truth I was fascinated by her. And then I actually got to know her and…” Wolf glanced down.
As close as he was with John, they had never spoken like this before.
It had not been the way of a gentleman. Or at least of the kind of gentleman his father had shaped him to be.
Good thing he was no longer that man. “She became the best thing in my life. She is the best person I’ve ever known, and you know how wonderful my aunt and uncle are. ”
John looked at him knowingly. “I’m happy for you. When Jillian finally realized she loved me back after I had loved her most of my life…I remember thinking, I hope Wolf can know this kind of happiness. I’m glad you did not get in your own way.”
“Oh believe me, like I said, I did. But,” he paused, unsure of how to explain, “things had a funny way of working out in the end.” They began to follow their wives into the townhouse, and as his great blue door shut behind them, Wolf had the sense that they were closing one chapter of their lives and starting another.
A new mystery lay before them to unravel. And he couldn’t wait.
THE END
Thank you for reading Lady Petra and the Wolf!